US Denies Entry Permits to Ex-EU Commissioner and Additional Figures Concerning Online Platform Regulations
American diplomatic officials declared it would refuse entry permits to a group of five people, among them a former EU commissioner, for reportedly seeking to "pressure" American social media platforms into silencing perspectives they disagree with.
"These radical activists and aggressive non-profits have promoted censorship crackdowns by foreign states - in each case targeting American speakers and American companies," said Secretary of State the official.
Thierry Breton remarked that a "witch hunt" was taking place.
Officials labeled Breton as the "architect" of the European Union's online content law, which mandates speech regulations on social media firms.
A Divisive Regulation
Yet, the act has frustrated certain right-leaning Americans who see it as an attempt to silence right-wing opinions. EU authorities rejects this characterization.
Breton has clashed with Elon Musk, owner of platform X, over obligations to adhere to European regulations.
The European Commission imposed a penalty on X €120m over its blue tick badges – the first fine under the DSA. It said the platform's system was "deceptive" because the firm was not "meaningfully verifying users".
As a countermove, the platform blocked the Commission from making adverts on its platform.
Reactions and Broader Bans
Reacting to the visa ban, the former commissioner wrote on X: "Addressing the US: Censorship does not lie where you think it is."
Another listed individual, who leads the UK-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was included in the sanctions.
US Undersecretary of State the official accused the GDI of using US taxpayer money "to encourage suppression and targeting of American speech and media".
A representative for the group said the visa sanctions as "a repressive move on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship".
"Their actions today are unethical, illegal, and un-American," they stated.
Imran Ahmed of the an online hate watchdog, a nonprofit that combats digital hatred and false information, was also handed a ban.
Rogers called Mr Ahmed a "key collaborator with campaigns to misuse the state apparatus against US citizens".
Also subject to bans were Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of a German organization, which the US officials said helped enforce the DSA.
Responding, the two CEOs called it an "attempt to silence by a administration that is showing disregard for the legal principles".
"We will not be intimidated by a state that uses claims of suppression to muzzle those who defend human rights," they concluded.
Official Rationale
Rubio said that action was initiated to enact visa restrictions on "representatives of the international suppression network" who would be "generally barred from entering the United States".
"President Trump has been explicit that his America First foreign policy rejects violations of US autonomy. Extraterritorial overreach by foreign censors aimed at American speech is no exception," he added.
